Achmed Puppet Review
Achmed the Dead Terrorist doll is used by Dunham mainly to satirize terrorism. The main features of the Achmed doll are dictated by the nature of the character, which is nothing else but a skeletal corpse of an incompetent suicide bomber. Basically, it’s a giant skeleton with a narrow long skull and a long black beard – very recognizable appearance, really.
On stage, the Achmed puppet usually yells “Silence! I keel you!” to both Dunham and people laughing in the audience. Achmed ventriloquist dummy first appeared in Spark of Insanity and was so well received that he has since appeared in every single Dunham special.
About the Achmed Doll Creator
Jeffrey “Jeff” Dunham, born April 18, 1962, is a famous American ventriloquist who has managed to introduce a bunch of famous puppets – including, of course, Achmed The Dead Terrorist Doll.
Dunham’s talents go far beyond ventriloquism, as he’s also a successful producer and a great stand-up comedian, who made spectacular appearances on shows such as Late Show with David Letterman, Comedy Central Presents, The Tonight Show and Sonny With a Chance.
The Achmed doll, however, is definitely one of his most remarkable creations.
Spark of Insanity helped us learn a great deal of things about the Achmed doll. For instance, Dunham doesn’t fail to enquire about the cause of death – and the Ahmed dummy promptly responds that he’s horrible with explosives, also hinting on Dunham’s sexual prowess by revealing that they both suffer from “premature detonation”. When Jeff Dunham asks if Ahmed is dead as he’s a skeleton, the character responds that it’s simply “a flesh wound”.
During this very first appearance, Achmed puppet frequently mentioned he’s working for Osama Bin Laden. Remarkably, Ahmed also denies being a Muslim, saying “Look at my ass! It says ‘Made in China’!”.
When it comes to interactions with other Dunham’s characters, the Achmed puppet claims he’s very much afraid of the grumpy old man Walter. Ahmed says it’s mainly because he’s “one mean son of a bitch”. Moreover, Ahmed ventriloquist doll finds Walter’s flatulence to be “more potent than Saddam Hussein’s mustard gas”.
The Achmed puppet is insanely popular – the sketch in which Dunham first introduced the character has over 200 million views. One of the most attractive features of the puppet is his unique set of articulated eyes. Apparently, those are designed by the same effects artist who made the dinosaur eyes for the Jurassic Park films!
Fun fact about Ahmed: did you know he has an estranged son? His name is Achmed Junior, and he first appeared during the Identity Crisis Tour 2010. Just like his father, Achmed junior has a bomb-induced injury, and he also speaks with a British accent because he was raised in Britain after the accident.
Thinking of buying the Achmed puppet for your collection, or considering making him your first dummy? Excellent choice!
Remember though, that the character is built around a very triggering subject, and pick your audience appropriately. Alternatively, come up with a whole new story for your Ahmed puppet!